To stop…

1. Caring.

2. Innovating.

3. Focusing on delivery.

4. Understanding the real problems.

5. Producing quality work.

6. Shipping.

7. Listening.

8. Being passionate.

9. Working hard.

10. Failing.

11. Succeeding.

12. Networking.

13. Getting leaner.

14. Sharing.

15. Creating.

16. Thinking.

17. Talking.

18. Dominating.

19. Growing.

20. Teaching.

21. Learning.

22. Being foolish.

23. Living.

24. Focusing.

25. Laughing.

26. Connecting others.

27. Being social.

28. Staying healthy.

29. Being true to yourself.

30. Being true to your team.

31. Being true to your mission.

32. Scaling.

33. Changing.

34. Producing.

35. Designing.

36. Developing.

37. Folllowing.

38. Liking.

39. Circling.

40. Reading.

41. Listening to your gut.

42. Building a list.

To start…

43. Worrying.

44. Asking the wrong questions.

45. Slowing down others.

46. Being late.

47. Falling behind.

48. Spreading too thin.

49. Complicating things.

50. Focusing on the wrong ideas.

51. Guessing.

52. Thinking you know it all.

53. Wondering where you will be in 10 years.

54. Giving into bad habits.

55. Giving up.

Most importantly

You can’t afford to not be true to yourself and think you can bite off more than you can chew. Focus in on 2012 and make it a great year!

I listen to interviews on Mixergy and ThisWeekIn Startups that inspire me, educate me, and piss me off.

Why?

Because it seems that only the 1% in Silicon Valley are really going to make it big. What about the rest of us who don’t have the connections to get funded? Or live in big cities to recruit talent? Or a big exit under our belt?

Famous startups that have built strong companies in a grass root movement, without major funding, like 37Signals are the exception. Scratch that itch with your product while preparing to live and die by it.

These are the stories we all love – but are even harder to attain than the big valuation or investment startups.

It’s a double edge sword that can easily cut you.

How can we, “the working guy/gal” succeed against the 1% of startups?

ValleyWood (the 1%)

Enter ValleyWood.

Groupon? I think it’s the worst idea since the Snuggie. But guess what? It’s worth billions.

There are companies in ValleyWood (Silicon Valley if you haven’t picked that up yet) that are getting tremendous funding, valuations, scooping up copyrights and patents to become the 1%.

If you listen in on patent trolling and legal costs conversations alone, you begin wondering if this is what you signed up for.

How does a local startup compete with this? How does a small company in Dartmouth Ma with a dream and passion to succeed go against Goliath? What about some rural town in Nebraska?

Move to the Bay area? Silicon valley? New York?

Why?

It’s 2011 going on 2012. We all work remote, HD video is getting better, collaboration is at an all time high.

Does the 1% have the inherent advantage because the investors with money can scoop up the ideas before anyone else? Take that a step further, scoop up the humans behind the ideas.

Sometimes it’s like watching the movie Running Man with all the popular “startup game shows” popping up all over the place.

These entrepreneurs subjecting themselves to busting their humps and humility in order to get funding or just noticed.

Why are today’s entrepreneurs so glamored by The Social Network?

To my fellow leaders, entrepreneuers and visionaries:

Build a company you love, that will succeed for the next 100 years.

Be a true business person that not only wants to succeed in the market, but create jobs, and help your local community.

The 99%

Here’s what this economy needs: Blue Collar Technology.

Why are you signing up to Groupon that will blitzkrieg a small coffee shop with 1 time penny pinchers? Why not signup with the coupon site that your local college kid built? Why backup your data with Mozy, when you can sign up with a local integrator? Why buy a website from 99 designs when you can build one from a local studio?

The list goes on.

Next Saturday is Small Business Saturday in America. There should be the same for local tech startup.

I’m managing a startup, within a startup. A startup that is more “mom and pop” than anything.

Folks in Silicon Valley, TechCrunch and the like would never feature another web design shop. Jason Calacanis would never call me to interview me for the awesome WordPress sites Slocum Studio puts together. I’m working really hard to build a strong grassroots business to help local business on the web.

With this foundation, more importantly cash flow, we’re pressing on to build a powerful web app.

Sound familiar?

What can we do as the 99% of startups not moving to Silicon Valley? Do we form our own coalition? Here are three thoughts:

1. Start Local. Be Local.

You know what the most powerful form of Social Media is? A local meetup. A face to face chat. An invite to speak at a local college. Get out from behind the computer and GO MEET PEOPLE.

Sure it’s great to get someone with a million followers to tweet out your link. Awesome to get featured on TechCrunch. That’s all flash in the pan.

2. Stop Building For The 1%

Here’s something I think big VC and ValleyWood are blind to. The 1% is building for the 1%.

I’m the 1% of tech users. I know 99 other people out of 100 (close friends and relatives) that I could never get them to use the Oink app, Foursquare, or buy from Fab.com.

People need to build for the 99%.

3. Grassroot

Let’s go back to 37 signals. If you watched them mature over the years, you will know, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.

Starting out as a web design shop, shifting to a radical web app startup, to a cutting edge free flowing startup, to now have more structure than ever before. We’re talking years of transformation.

The great part is Jason and David are doing it themselves, their way.

Just be honest with yourself. Do you want an exit or do you want to build a company you’re happy with every day for the rest of your life?

In The End, We Keep Pushing

Look, I’m not saying tear down the walls of Chris Sacca’s house or egg Kevin Rose when you see him Oinking. (By the way, this article has nothing to do with them – they are awesome guys.)

In the end, they worked their asses off to get where they were just like we are.

This should be more of a call to action to people looking for technology (consumer or investor), to look local. Look within your nearest major city or town even. There is talent everywhere and people doing some pretty amazing things.

For the startup out there reading this – form meetups, groups, events to promote the cause.

For God’s sake SHARE yourself and your story with competitors and other businesses. Don’t hide away like you’ve developed some secret recipe to be the next Zuckerberg. (Less you have, move to the Bay Area, hook up with @sacca, let me build your website, and get some cash money!)

And don’t forget to HUSSLE. Watch a video by Gary Vaynerchuck every morning if you have to. If you’re not ready to conquer the world or at least beat someone up after a solid week of that – you might not have a pulse.

Just because we’re not getting swooned by Sean Parker at some after hours rave party – does not mean we can’t succeed.

Your whole body weightless as gravity pushes you to the earth. A massive knot in your stomach wrenching in fear.

Panic sets in as you scramble for the parachute. Grasping and tugging at your vest to find the right one.

There is no pull cord.

Earth is closing in on you faster and faster.

The sound of the wind and clouds whipping past you as your entire body is tumbling and turning.

As impact approaches, thoughts like what have I accomplished? Where did I end up? What could I have done differently? Run through your head.

Five seconds from the ground.

Four. Three. Two. One…

…

“Holy shit.”

You wake up in a cold sweat. What a dream.

What if it wasn’t a dream? What if everyday was like this?

If fear and uncertainty is not your thing, don’t become a startup entrepreneur.

The Free Fall

Roads were built to keep groups of people going in a straight line, to a destination, without falling off track. Even more so, so you wouldn’t have to look for a better route to a destination.

There are no roads for a startup entrepreneur.

You’re pioneering.

Pioneers didn’t have roads. People built roads to the places pioneers found.

If starting a business was like the dream in the opening, what you would do to find your way out? You know it’s only a matter of time before  impact.

As entrepreneurs, founders, marketers, sales people and even investors - it’s always the risk we’re facing.

But here’s the thing: In a dream, you can create anything, overall you control it.

I would have got all Matrix and imagined that I would just blast through the core of the earth and come out the other side. Do some kind of ninja back flip and land on my feet wearing some bad ass sunglasses and a leather jacket.

In your startup, you can create whatever you want too.

You don’t have to follow the same roads other people have. You don’t have to do what your competition does. You don’t have to create the same old thing.

Do what you want to do and own it. Live and die by it.

No One To Tell Us What To Do

What’s the number one thing people say when asked, “Why did you become an entrepreneur?”

That’s right, they don’t like having bosses.

“We’re pioneers! We don’t need bosses!”

Bullshit.

Think about if you really fell from the sky and your life ended as a pancake. On the way down you’re asking God “What’s next? Where am I going?”

And what happens when you hit a speed bump in your business?

“Why didn’t anyone tell me that?!” “Well no one said anything to me?!”

See, somewhere deep down, we want (read: need) someone to tell us what to do next.

For entrepreneurs, it’s the customer or it’s the inner voice. Some of us have a team or co-founders. Others, a board of advisors.

Get involved with finding someone to advise you. If you’re still early on in the business, see if it’s the right time (and fit) to bring on a co-founder.

You don’t need to go it alone. You shouldn’t go it alone.

If you’re not listening to your connections or your team, you’re bound to free fall to impact.

No Guts No Glory

You may relive this dream over and over again.

If you’re not ready for it, don’t make the leap. The path isn’t easy, because it dosen’t exist. The blueprint dosen’t work, because no one has created it.

It’s not going to be an easy ride. Don’t get caught up in the valleywood spotlight of billion dollar valuation companies. Even Mark Zuckerberg said, if he were doing it all over again, he would stay in Boston.

Everyday I live with the fear of missing that big opportunity or not getting to market in time.

You have to accept it, work with what you have, sell as much as you can, and keep moving. Don’t react slow and become a fat walrus.

Go hard or go home.

Don’t half ass it.

In the dream you could save yourself by imagining you fall into a cockpit of an F-16 or you’re really a top secret military Ironman weapon.

In your startup you can create whatever you want to achieve success. To stay ahead of competition. Build a sustainable business.

So, what will it be? Fly or die?

So in an effort to make search more secure, Google is really dropping a bomb on SEO.

As internet entrepreneurs we really live and die by our Google Analytics reports. We want to track the keywords people use to find us and the referring websites that sent them here. We all want to increase our traffic.

The ability to measure ROI for SEO and online Advertising is the reason why we do it in the first place. Now we’re about to take a major body shot to keep these keywords hidden.

Continue reading for a 30-thousand foot view of what’s going on and how it’s going to impact your success with web marketing.

Google Encrypts Search Data

So here is the basic overview of what the Google update is doing to our precious resource:

1. A user logged into a Google product (Google+, Google Docs, Gmail, etc) and
2. They perform an organic search (i.e. fly fishing) and
3. They find your website via the search result and click through to your site
4. you will not be able to see what organic keyword they used to find your site, nor their visitor session information from Google Analytics associated with that keyword.

So what does it mean?

It means you won’t be able to effectively measure or track organic search funneling/conversions from logged in users.

Google states that users that are “anonymously” searching on Google will still be captured. i.e. not logged in.

Is This A Big Deal?

Yep.

Over time you will start to see your organic keyword results drop which will make it harder to determine how visits are coming in. It’s also going to impact keyword research because Google will also encrypt that data in the Keyword Tool app as well.

Show me the money!

Ah, but what’s this?

You will still see keywords tracked for logged in users if they use paid keywords to get to you.

Well, that’s real nice.

Some analysts say that there’s still a way to track organic keyword referrals by making your site secure. This is still an unproven method and we’ll have to wait to see if they are right.

Now What?

So what do we do now?

There’s not much we can do. We don’t own this data to begin with.

Google says the impact will only be in the single percentage digits in the grand scheme of things. In other words, less than 10% of organic search traffic is done while logged in.

That’s great for now, but Google wants users to be logged in. They just launched Google+ and have been slowly rolling out seamless Gmail accounts. The design of all Google apps are becoming more unified. They are becoming more advanced with their mobile Android platform.

Within a few years, you won’t be able to do anything on Google without being logged in.

The Takeaway

Remember, SEO is just one (albeit very large) part of driving traffic to your site.

My favorite is still Inbound Marketing which includes e-mail newsletters, social media, and connecting.

If this is a pivot for SEO, we’ll have to start putting more emphasis on other areas of getting that traffic and making money.

Even if that does mean – gasp.

Get off your ass and sell.

You are the next Steve Jobs.

If it’s one thing Jobs would not want – it’s finding the next Steve Jobs. He didn’t live his life in the shadow or footsteps of someone else.

He lived it the way he wanted to live it. Created what he wanted to create. In doing this, he created the most powerful (cult-like) brand in the world.

Stop trying to find who the next Steve Jobs is and look to yourself.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.” – Steve Jobs

This is very powerful.

He’s telling us not to settle, not to fall victim to what everyone else wants us to do, to create what we want to create.

There is no answer to “who is the next Steve Jobs?”

We all are the next Steve Jobs.

The impact of Steve stretches far beyond the devices he created and the company he built. He inspired entrepreneurs, dazzled the media, and sold (and I mean really sold) to the world.

Everyone in some way, positive or negative, waited on edge for his next event.

For the product and for his presentation.

For the show.

Where was Steve taking us next?

What would he do to amaze us time and time again?

Don’t settle for good enough. Be unique. Be yourself.

“Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Steve Jobs

He has built a legacy from this. A legacy of good and bad depending on what you read – but a legacy none the less.

What will you do to change the world?

Are you still carrying that passion every morning? When you wake up are you ready to change the world?

A great entrepreneur should maintain that level of drive day in and day out. Don’t become a walrus and don’t suck at what you’re doing.

Press on to achieve great things.

Everyday we’re learning how to use social media in various ways that drive results, connect with people, and build our business. Some of us are looking for a recipie for success and others are looking to take in small chunks at a time.

Some will tell you to how to do things in a scientifically and others will tell you to just say thank you.

There’s no right or wrong way.

Why?

Because social technology is constantly changing under the heavy pressure to be the number one platform. Techniques, tactics, and strategies amongst marketers and consultants are continually evolving. How can you keep up?

Simple.

Find your social media voice!

Clear Your Social Media Voice

Forget when to tweet, what to Like, who to connect with, and what to +1.

Facebook is not for everyone.  There is no recipe or guide to success with social media.

Just because social media is all the rage, dosen’t mean you need to be plotting and planning for every single platform. You should stop being concerned with being on all of them and more concerned with finding what works. If you’re dynamic enough to spread yourself across all of these platforms – good for you.

Just find your social media voice. 

If you think of each platform as a different social setting you can find your voice. You should not be using the same voice across all platforms. If you were at a library, would you scream out, “This book was freakin’ awesome!”

No.

Take a look at my different voices in social media and let me know what you think.

Facebook – The Expensive Conference

On my personal profile, I make it known that I blog and run a digital media agency. I post links that folks may find useful in their business or for their daily motivation fix. On the Matt Report fan page, I use it to post my recent articles or ask questions that help me craft what I should write about next.

I don’t over promote.

I feel that Facebook is still the most personal level of all social media platforms.

To me it’s like registering at a conference.

Someone has already printed your name tag, has all your contact information, and references to your company. You’re not showing up to disrupt the others and make an ass of yourself.

Be courteous to others, shake hands, smile, and communicate. You’re there to make solid connections and learn from the others around you.

Twitter – The Business After Hours Mixer

Ready for a complete 180?

Twitter is by far my most favorite and useful platforms. You can find me here.

Twitter is open for the world to find you. I use it daily to promote myself, connect with others, collect information, joke, yell, rant, and stalk.

My voice is a lot different here.

I like to think of Twitter as the business after hours event. You’re burnt out from all the tough questions of the day, you’ve had a couple of beverages, and you’re feeling pretty good about yourself. Moving through the crowd with your “Hello my name is…” sticker on, throwing out high fives, and cheers’ing beer steins.

Because Twitter is quick and efficient, it also gives you the best opportunity to engage in real time.

It’s a good day to be you – get out there and make a connection!

LinkedIN – 1 On 1

“If I could have your attention please…”

The lights go down and the guest speaker is about to begin. You’re packed in an auditorium after opening with the free continental breakfast. After the show is over, you shake hands with the person next to you and hand them a business card.

See, you’ve been whispering to this person throughout the entire talk. Making a connecting, discussing business, and seeing how you can help them. One on one, personal and professional.

That’s my LinkedIN voice.

Google+

The latest member to the pack. You can find me here.

I don’t know if I should walk, run, jump, scream, or bow.

What I can tell you, it’s already becoming the number 1 referrer to my blog. I find it a lot easier to communicate and find others on this platform. You can post longer threads, share content easier, and the whole platform feels more engaging.

Sometimes I have my Twitter voice and sometimes I have my LinkedIN voice.

I’m quite sure Google is trying to pull from all the great features of the various platforms and mix it into their own. Will the loud mouth sales guy show up or the quiet engineer from down the hall?

Have You Found Your Voice Yet?

Now that you’ve had a chance to reflect on my voices – what’s yours?

Are you spreading yourself across all platforms? Have you been caught red handed speaking in the same voice at different venues? I’d love to hear what you’re doing in the comments!

Shortly after I received an apology e-mail from Rick stating he was going to speak to the vendor. 

Twenty-six minutes later, Donna the Office Manager, contacted me and stated they were refunding 100% of the money I paid to the vendor. 

WOW!

Am I a customer for life? You bet! Amazing customer service. Continue reading to see what else the Captain Lord Mansion and it’s staff does to earn customers for life!

I just returned from Captain Lord Mansion a fantastic bed and breakfast in Maine.

There’s a reason they have been a AAA Four Star inn for 30+ years.

They have customers for life.

The following article will look at some of the concepts you can implement in your business to earn your own customer for life.

I’m pulling from the most broad ideas that the folks at Captain Lord Mansion are using at their business. They can be used in many different businesses from blogging to landscapers. You can earn customers for life too.

Remember more than anything that it’s up to you to get out there and earn these connections.

Have An Awesome Product

This part you can’t skip.

We have a lot of choices as consumers in today’s marketplace. Businesses are fighting harder, more creatively, and on a larger scale for our dollar.

We need to have an awesome product or service.

Ask yourself the following:

• How is my product/service better than the competition?
• What is the WOW factor to my customer?
• Will my customer want more of this?
• Give the customer a great experience.
• How easy is it to market this product? (This is important.)

Think about how the customer first touches your product or experiences your service:

I already knew the answer to the first question on the list. Captain Lord had an awesome room, the Champion Room, with a super luxurious bathroom. Win.

Second, I reflect back to pulling into the parking lot of the bed and breakfast and taking in the mansion.

Wow, what a site it is.

Meticulous grounds and well preserved heritage of the mansion. A site to see.

Third, walking in the front door and into the main lobby I already want to stay more than one night. Three for three.

Fourth, we were greeted, checked-in and given a tour of the mansion. Explained all rooms of the mansion, when breakfast was served, and listed the local amenities. This is going to be great.

Easy to market? You bet.

As a customer I simply say, “This was an awesome bed and breakfast to stay at.” It doesn’t get much easier than that. This is important because it allows the memory and recommendation to stick with me to share with others.

It’s not something I have to think back on and remember how to explain it or recall the experience. I love keeping things simple not only for yourself, but for others to help spread.

Unique Loyalty Program

Throw out Foursquare – hello old school ledger.

Posted on your wall that you checked in? How about a brick that goes in the ground for life?

Bragging about your Mayor status of a business? How about a guest list that greets everyone walking through the door showing off your seniority?

This is the kind of full circle loyalty program running at the mansion.

When you check in, you’re signing into a ledger that seems as old as the mansion itself. Not only is it giving you that sense of authenticity but a realization that a lot of people have been coming here. In another 20 years, your name will still be in this book and you might even look yourself up again.

Another unique touch, when you’re walking into the main lobby, a guest list is displayed with names and number of visits. When I was there, there was someone with 40 stays! That’s a powerful marketing tool all to itself.

Lastly, as you build your customer’s for life – literally make them stay for a lifetime. At the mansion on your 10th visit, you get a stone engraved with your name on it that builds a path in the courtyard around the fountain. Quite a goal to work towards!

You don’t always need technology

That’s something you don’t hear me say a lot – but you don’t. They are doing it their own way. Using tried and true traditional and non traditional methods.

Here are some unique things you could do with technology:

Do you have a super fan visiting your blog? How about allowing them to guest post.

Have a great customer walking in and out of your door every day? How about announcing them on your Facebook page?

Knowledgeable supporter of your product? Let them answer questions in your LinkedIn Group.

Superb Customer Service

What wraps up the entire experience? Customer service.

Throughout the entire booking process to check out the staff was superb.

One thing that stood out the most: answering all my stupid questions without a flinch.

I was sending a lot of e-mails back and forth with various questions, most businesses would have brushed off. They could have said “we have that info when you get here” and I would have been OK with that.

But that’s just it, you don’t want people to be just “OK” you want them for life so amaze them.

What is your customer service like? Are you just answering all the questions or are you amazing your customers? Are you going above and beyond the call of duty?

Conclusion

There’s a lot we can do to gain customers for life.

The problem is, a lot of us aren’t focused on it day to day. We’re always developing new ideas or out acquiring new customers that we tend to overlook nurturing the existing.

The take away from this?

What will make your customers say WOW?

What will make your customers refer you to their friends?

What can you do to keep them coming back for life?

Let me know what you’re doing in the comments below!

Love it or hate it, your profile is about to change to the new Timeline layout. It seems like year after year when Zuckerberg changes something everyone is up in arms. This time is no different.

I never thought I would say this, but I actually  like this new profile change. If you’re interested in trying out the new profile for yourself, read on for a step by step guide to activate it.

Activating Facebook Timeline Profile: So Easy A Caveman Could Do It

1. Activate developer mode

Activate Developer app by searching for ‘Developer’ and activating the app. You will have to grant access to your profile data and so forth for it to work. Once you activate it, it should drop you into the app builder screen. If not, click here.

2. Configure Your App

Go through and name your app and make sure to click back into that app after you have created it. It will show the name of your app in the upper portion of the window as in the example screenshot.

3. Get Started With Open Graph

You have to define your Open Graph actions. This is where it gets a little tricky - but all you really want is access to your Timeline profile right? Go through and use most of the default settings. Return to your profile page once you’ve completed the 3 pages of settings. In a few minutes you should get a notification that your Timeline profile is ready to configure.

Configure Your New Timeline Profile

There’s a lot going on in the new Timeline layout.

I captured the step by step tour that Facebook walks you through. It can be a little overwhelming at first, so make sure you have time to kill to set this up. I did learn that only other users marked as a developer will see your new profile. Not until your beta enters live stage will normal users see the fruits of your labor.

Step 1: The Cover

Goodbye tiled images!

The cover allows you to upload a highres photo to really feature yourself. I really like this touch. It’s going to allow even more creativity and personalization for individuals and business alike.

Step 2: Everything In One Place

Nice layout to give visitors a quick summary of what you’re all about. I’m not sure how well it will work with trying to put all the info into one row – but it’s looking good for now. As we collect more data I wonder how well it will scale?

Step 3: Timeline Of Your Top Stories

This is where it gets good.

Notice the vertical timeline on the right and the timeline right down the middle? These are the visual representations of the time passed and how they connect to our most featured top stories. As you scroll through the timeline a mashup of likes, friend requests, updates, photos, links and videos will appear.

The extra attention to detail in this feature really makes it worth while.

Step 4: Star It

Here’s your chance to change history.

Well, at least your history.

Go through your timeline and star or remove any piece of content you want. Useful to remove those embarrassing friend requests or to highlight awesome photos in your gallery.

Love or Hate The New Facebook Changes?

The cold hard truth is, we don’t have a choice.

Facebook is changing and with change comes rejection. I’ve had a blog post drafted for the last 6 months about how I don’t see Facebook innovating at all. I even mentioned that I was happy Google+ came along to compete with them.

Well that has all changed today.

With the slick new features of the timeline profile and the upcoming promise of Open Graph – I think they are finally on to something.

What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear them in the comments below!

Recently, we mapped out the foundation of our online business. Sketched out major features and functions we plan to implement then cut out anything that could hold us back from agile marketing. We prepared ourselves to dive into connecting the dots of web marketing.

Now we’re going to look at building your online marketing mecca.

Your website.

Your hub.

Moving forward, understand that everything should begin and end here. It’s your brand, your content and most importantly you own it.

Why You Need A Hub

Let’s begin by looking at the theory and reasoning for building a hub.

When I was thinking about describing this very important step, a few phrases came to mind:

• Home base
• Hub
• Digital bucket
• Mecca
• Starting point
• Brain
• Corner stone
• Heartbeat

After much thought, the choice was hub.

I’m thinking central train stations here. Hundreds, thousands, to millions of people moving in and out of this one central hub. Hopping on different rails to venture to new destinations. Discovering new things when they arrive.

Hub  also works when we discuss our stations. That’s right, our web marketing consists of hubs and stations.

The hub is essential to our web marketing because this is where we lead our traffic. Customers come to place orders, learn about our cause, or sign up for our newsletter.

This is where the important actions should take place.

The unique content to exist.

The brand to live.

Own Your Hub

When we start talking about about stations, we’re going to discuss places like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN and Google+.

Guess what you don’t own on the aforementioned sites?

Your content.

It’s also safe to say you don’t own the direction, the dialogue and the connection with your following.

At any point, the plug can be pulled on your account or page. You could violate terms of service (who really reads this anyway) or a major new feature could change the way visitors access your information.

All that hard work and time put into building up your following has now been swallowed up by fate.

The hub is yours.  No one can delete your content. No one can tell you what to do with it.

Your Hub, Anywhere

Where does your hub exist?

It’s a web site, blog, landing page, or professional profile on a web server somewhere. Indexed by major search engines and found through searching on the open internet.

No one needs a special account to access your hub. There are no privacy or filter settings in place that could stop you from getting a visitor’s eyeballs on your hub.

Let’s be clear on this: Your hub is not a Facebook page, Twitter stream, or LinkedIn profile.

Why do you say this Matt?

First and foremost, as unbelievable as it sounds, not everyone is using social media. You’re putting up an entry point barrier by relying on this method. Further, search sucks on these platforms (as of this writing.) If you don’t believe me, try for yourself, then come back and leave a comment.

Second, read the last section!

You don’t own the content. It’s theirs, thus, they block out access to search engines. With a proper hub, you can tell Google, Yahoo, and Bing where your site is, what it stands for, and when it’s updated.

Onward!

Your Hub, Your Way

“Clean your room!”

Remember that one?

Guess what? You don’t have to anymore.

You can design an ugly website or a fantastic website. No navigation or multi navigation. One color or one hundred colors.

I won’t spend very long on what it takes to design a great site, just be aware it’s important. Very important really.

It allows you to set yourself apart from the competition and others around you. It entices visitors to click through, sign up, purchase, and feel comfortable browsing. It should reflect your brand and your image. The design should reinforce why someone should buy or consider hiring you.

A lot of folks underestimate design. Don’t be one of them.

Your Hub, A Tape Measure

Sorta.

With your own hub, you can track where visitors are coming from. Google Analytics is the most popular web analytics system on the web. I don’t consult, build, or optimize any sites without it.

Because you own the traffic to your hub, you can dissect it anyway you want. Try this with your LinkedIn profile. Sure Facebook has insights, but it’s not yours. Twitter? Google+? Nada.

Eventually we will discuss some basics of analyzing your traffic and setting up goals. For now, in the back of your mind, understand the value in this.

Another metric to success and value to owning your hub, you can set your own call to action.

Think about it.

When you’re interacting with Facebook, do they want to direct people to your one page? Does Twitter want everyone to just follow you? Does LinkedIN want you to be the only company?

Nope.

They want you to constantly share, tag, comment, list, retweet, follow, and connect with others. Their goal is to build more content that they own. Granted, you benefit from all this and we’ll talk about that, it’s just their platform isn’t about you like your hub is.

Clearly defined call to actions engage a visitor and give you a great starting metric to measure your success.

10 Successful Parts to a Hub

1. Great design: Stand out from the crowd, be unique, and create a powerful brand identity. Why not reach for the sky and start to build brand recognition like Pepsi or Cadillac? (More insight? Read this.)
2. Call to action: You need to tell customers what to do and fast. Think about when you visit a website. For a split few seconds, you’re whipping the mouse cursor around the screen figuring out where to click. That’s your opportunity. (Learn more here.)
3. Targetted landing pages: There are informational pages and there are conversion pages. Better known as landing pages or squeeze pages. Usually these are tied to online ads in attempt to squeeze in a sales pitch and entice an action that you can put a dollar value on.
4. Engaging video and photography: Youtube is the world’s number 2 search engine. Enough said. Out of focus and pixelated images that a cheap cell phone can outmatch are a no go.
5. Unique content: Here’s your chance to shine. Express to the world why they should pick you. And the best part is, studies show you only need to write at a 5th grade level. Perfect.
6. Blog: I’ll hit this real quick, because it’s important and we’ll discuss it further later. It builds constant unique content, it’s your voice, it’s a forum for interaction, and its you engaging in inbound marketing.
7. Lead capture: Your list is your gold. You need to capture leads to keep knocking on the door, informing folks of your cause, and reaching out for a sale.
8. Social Media integration: A lot more to be said about this topic and we’ll get there. Remember, real time, engaging, promoting, and customer service. Just a few concepts we will cover.
9. Analytics: When it comes to reporting and tracking all of this, you need analytics. Even basic counts can help you understand trends that are happening all around you.
10. Sweat, blood, and tears: Connecting all the dot’s is not easy. Don’t underestimate what it takes to be successful on the web. It will take a lot of work on your part to make it all come together. These series of posts should really put it into perspective for you and get you to where you want your web property to be.

Conclusion

Whew. Overwhelmed?

Here’s a recap:

You need to build a hub. A hub is your website, your blog, your professional profile, or your landing page.

You build external stations that connect back to the hub. Stations are social media outlets, bulletin boards, guest posts, newsletters and more.

Your Facebook page is not your hub.

There are a lot of moving part’s to a hub. Once they are clearly defined and setup properly, you can begin connecting the dot’s to your web marketing strategy.

Soon enough, you will be on your way to web marketing success. In the next post in the series, we will discuss the how-to build your proper hub.

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